The Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI) has called for urgent fiscal reforms, improved budget execution and enhanced transparency across local government councils in Kano State to strengthen grassroots governance.
The call followed the release of DRDI’s five-year budget analysis covering 2020 to 2024, which examined fiscal performance in six local government areas (LGAs) — Bichi, Dambatta, Fagge, Karaye, Tudun-Wada and Kano Municipal.
The Executive Director of DRDI, Dr. Muhammad Mustapha Yahaya, made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Kano on Thursday.
According to him, the analysis revealed that over 70 per cent of total allocations to the LGAs within the period were spent on recurrent expenditure, leaving limited resources for capital projects in critical sectors such as education, health, agriculture and gender/WASH.
“The report discovered that more than 70 per cent of total allocations were devoted to recurrent spending, thereby constraining investment in capital projects that directly impact service delivery at the grassroots,” Yahaya said.
He explained that the study, conducted using data from the Kano State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, audit records and other credible sources, assessed allocations, releases and expenditures, while also identifying fiscal challenges undermining transparency and accountability.
Yahaya noted that despite rising allocations between 2020 and 2024, key sectors such as education, health and agriculture continued to suffer from low funding and weak implementation.
“The analysis showed that all six LGAs relied heavily on recurrent expenditure, leaving little for capital projects, while most depended almost entirely on federal allocations, with internally generated revenue (IGR) remaining below 10 per cent due to weak systems and leakages,” he said.
He added that “poor documentation, limited transparency, and disruptions from COVID-19 and fuel subsidy removal further hindered budget performance and project execution.”
The DRDI executive director stressed the need for deliberate and coordinated action among stakeholders to strengthen fiscal responsibility at the local government level.
“It is imperative to rebalance spending toward capital and social sectors by reducing recurrent expenditure and channeling more funds into education, health and agriculture,” he said.
Yahaya also urged LGAs to improve budget execution by ensuring timely release of funds and instituting quarterly monitoring to minimise unspent allocations.
“For transparency and public disclosure, all LGAs should regularly publish approved budgets, releases and expenditure performance reports. Kano Municipal and Fagge LGAs, due to their urban character, could serve as pilots for open-budget dashboards that would enable citizens to track government spending,” he said.
On revenue generation, Yahaya called for the strengthening of IGR, particularly in commercial LGAs.
“Fagge and Kano Municipal should automate local tax collection, regulate informal markets and tighten enforcement to reduce leakages, while rural LGAs such as Karaye and Tudun-Wada should harness agricultural produce markets and rural levies in a transparent and efficient manner,” he said.
He, however, lamented what he described as persistent underperformance in LGAs such as Karaye and Bichi, urging them to prioritise the completion of stalled education and healthcare projects to ensure that budget releases translate into improved services.
On agricultural development, Yahaya said support programmes should go beyond fertiliser and tractor procurement.
“They should include input distribution, irrigation support and farmer training, especially in Tudun-Wada and Dambatta,” he said.
He also advocated the institutionalisation of participatory and performance-based budgeting that involves citizens and sets measurable indicators for accountability, while encouraging civil society organisations to monitor budget implementation at ward level.
Yahaya further emphasised the need for capacity building within budget and planning units.
“Regular training in data management, monitoring and evaluation, and fiscal analysis is essential for evidence-based decision-making. LGAs should also adopt peer-learning platforms where councils with strong fiscal practices, such as Dambatta’s capital investment drive, can share experiences with others,” he said.
In conclusion, Yahaya called for full implementation of Public Finance Management (PFM) laws, urging the Kano State House of Assembly to ensure strict compliance with provisions requiring public dissemination of financial documents.
“Only through transparency, accountability and collaboration can local governments achieve sustainable development and improved governance,” he said.
